The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Centradenia grown as an ornamental perennial for use in containers and hanging baskets, and as a shrub for the garden and landscape. The new invention from the family Melastomataceae is known botanically as Centradenia inaequilateralis and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’.
‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ was discovered in 1998 as a naturally occurring branch sport found growing on a single plant of Centradenia ‘Cascade’ (unpatented). The sport parent, ‘Cascade’, was growing in the inventor's nursery in Petersfield, Hampshire, United Kingdom. The inventor observed that the sported branch bore light pink flowers whereas the flowers of ‘Cascade’ are red-purple in color. The inventor made softwood cuttings from the sporting branch and established such asexually reproduced plants on their own roots. Once the inventor was able to observe fully grown whole plants of ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ the inventor concluded that ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ also exhibited brighter colored foliage, a stronger plant habit and a longer flowering season when compared with the parent ‘Cascade’. The inventor is not aware of any other varieties of Centradenia that resemble ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ other than the parent variety, ‘Cascade’.
The first asexual propagation of ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ was conducted by the inventor in Hampshire, United Kingdom. Asexual propagation was accomplished in 1998 at the inventor's nursery. The method used was softwood cuttings. Since that time under careful observation ‘BLUSHING CASCADE’ has been determined fixed, stable, uniform, and to reproduce true to type in subsequent generations of asexual propagation.